The Lost Feast

Detroit is a city in the state of Michigan. This is a true story that appeared in the newspaper called The Detroit Free Press many years ago. Read the story. Click on the words in bold if you want to read a definition. Then take the quiz at the end of the story.

Neighbors Gobble Up Feast Found in Road

A Detroit neighborhood dined nervously but well Saturday on roast beef, fried chicken, and fresh strawberries that appeared mysteriously late Friday in the middle of East Outer Drive. It all started when one of the neighbors spotted several large industrial food containers sitting in the middle of the street. A quick check revealed they were piping hot and full of roast beef and gravy, chicken, and strawberries.

All we could imagine was that it fell off a catering truck and the weight of the food carried it to the ground unspilled, said one of the neighbors.

We just knew that somewhere some poor bride was waiting for her reception dinner that was never going to appear. We felt really bad about it, she said.

But after waiting a decent interval to see if the truck might return for the food, the neighbors divided it up and ate it.

Not bad, but it didn't have coffee and rolls, said one.

Owner of Lost Feast Identifies Himself

Nick Stefanson said Sunday that he was glad to read in the Free Press that somebody enjoyed the 69 pounds of roast beef, two cases of chicken, and five flats of strawberries that off his catering truck.

Neighbors on East Outer Drive found five containers full of hot roast beef and gravy, chicken, and strawberries in the middle of the street.

After waiting for someone to claim the food, they finally gave up, dug in and enjoyed the impromptu feast, they said.

Stefanson, owner of a nearby restaurant, was on his way to cater a reunion of a neighborhood group of which he is a member. He estimated his loss at about $500, not including the cost of the 400 pieces of Kentucky Fried Chicken he had to order as a substitute. All he asks is that the neighbors return the five pans, worth about $250, that their meal came in.

Taken from two articles in The Detroit Free Press.

Quiz

Choose the correct answer and then click Check Your Answers to see if you are right. Then come back to this place to see your score.

  1. Which sentence is true?
    1. The food was hot when they found it.
    2. The food was cold when they found it.
    3. The food wasn't cooked when they found it.

  2. Which sentence is true?
    1. The food spilled on the street.
    2. Some of the food spilled on the street, and some of the food didn't.
    3. The food didn't spill on the street.

  3. Which sentence is true?
    1. The neighbors took the food right away.
    2. The neighbors waited a while and then took the food.
    3. The neighbors left the food in the street.

  4. Which sentence is true?
    1. Nick Stefanson was taking the food to a reception dinner.
    2. Nick Stefanson was taking the food to a neighborhood group reunion.
    3. Nick Stefanson was taking the food to a family reunion.

  5. Which sentence is true?
    1. Nick Stefanson bought some food to take instead.
    2. Nick Stefanson made some more food to take instead.
    3. Nick Stefanson had some extra food in his restaurant.

  6. Which sentence is true?
    1. Nick Stefanson wants the neighbors to pay for the food.
    2. Nick Stefanson doesn't want the neighbors to do anything.
    3. Nick Stefanson wants the neighbors to return the containers.


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